Lentiviral vectors are a type of retrovirus that can infect both dividing and nondividing cells because their preintegration complex (virus "shell") can get through the intact membrane of the nucleus of the target cell.They can be used for nondividing or terminally differentiated cells such as neurons, retinal photoreceptors, muscle and liver cells. As the particles are pseudotyped with the envelope of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), the vector can serve to introduce genes into a broad range of tissues and can be used in vivo.
Currently the center offers service in the design, creation, production, and analysis of research-grade, self-inactivating lentiviral (LV) vectors for gene transfer or gene knock-down and non-GMP quality control testing including vector titer by functional assay or ELISA.
HIV-based lentiviral vectors are available to University of Haifa investigators, and outside users.